New Research Will Highlight Travel's Positive Effect on Life, Business and Community at www.TravelEffect.com

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Many people get the sense that travel strengthens relationships, improves health and can even help close a business deal, but they don't know it as fact. A national awareness campaign called "Travel Effect" (www.TravelEffect.com) launches today to make sure people understand the impact that travel has on relationships, health, education, business and communities.

"What we've long known anecdotally, we will prove through authoritative research: travel has a measurable and positive effect on health, relationships, business performance and the well-being of communities," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "And since travel supports 14.4 million American jobs and $1.9 trillion in economic output, the more we get people traveling in the U.S., the more we can improve our well-being as a nation."

At Travel Effect's core are groundbreaking research projects and studies that will demonstrate the indispensable benefits travel brings to people's lives, their careers and their communities. Current research examines travel's effect on relationships and its power to create lasting memories for children and adults. Additional projects underway measure the bottom-line impact of business travel and the impact of government meetings on government operations, private-sector development and local communities.

The campaign will employ both earned and paid media to convey research findings, with an emphasis on social media. Research findings and more information will be available at www.traveleffect.com. Additionally, state and district data that provide key travel impact measurements will be posted.

"We are excited for Americans to take note of the positive effect travel has on our lives and our communities," said Dow.

Travel Effect is a campaign of the U.S. Travel Association, the national, non-profit organization representing all components of the travel industry that generates $1.9 trillion in economic output and supports 14.4 million jobs. U.S. Travel's mission is to increase travel to and within the United States.